Powerchair user Sam Woodall opens up about the hidden guilt many disabled people feel

Mobility retailer Complete Care Shop has partnered with powerchair user Sam Woodall to raise awareness of the “burden of guilt”, the emotional impact many disabled people experience when they feel guilty for relying on others for support. Together, they’re sharing advice to help disabled people and carers have more open conversations about asking for help. 

While discussions about disability often focus on accessibility, equipment, or independence, one issue is often overlooked: the emotional weight of relying on other people. 

Known by many within the disabled community as the “burden of guilt”, the phrase describes the feeling that asking for help places an unfair responsibility on loved ones, carers and friends. While largely invisible, it can affect confidence, relationships and even stop people from asking for support when they need it most. Yet it isn’t talked about enough. 

Sam, who uses a powerchair, is working with Complete Care Shop to raise awareness of the issue and challenge the idea that needing support makes someone a burden. Drawing on his own experience, he explains: 

“You start to feel like you’re burdening people with an extra responsibility that they never asked for. You see the sacrifices family members and carers make, and it’s easy to believe you’d be better off asking for less help, even when you genuinely need it.” 

For many disabled people, family members become informal carers, creating a relationship that can be both rewarding and emotionally complex. While loved ones are often happy to help, the person receiving care can feel intense guilt over the impact their disability has on those around them. 

The result is that some people avoid asking for assistance altogether. For Sam, those feelings often lead him to turn down help even when it would have made life easier. 

“Sometimes it was something as simple as saying no to a cup of tea. I didn’t want to create another job for someone else, even though I’d have loved one. Those little moments build up over time.” 

During his three years at university, Sam limited his use of formal care support despite it being available to him. 

“I wanted complete independence, but my stubbornness put enormous pressure on the people around me. Looking back, asking for help wasn’t a weakness; it would have made life healthier for everyone.” 

The emotional impact isn’t limited to disabled people themselves. Carers can also experience guilt, stress, and burnout, particularly when they feel unable to discuss how they’re coping. 

Rather than allowing these feelings to remain unspoken, Complete Care Shop is encouraging more open conversations between disabled people, carers, and families. They explain that recognising these emotions early can help prevent them from developing into long-term anxiety, isolation or self-imposed restrictions that reduce quality of life. 

How to reduce the “burden of guilt” 

Complete Care Shop encourages disabled people, carers, and families to remember: 

• Asking for help is not the same as being a burden 
• Honest conversations are healthier than hiding difficult emotions 
• Small acts of independence should be encouraged where possible, but nobody should feel pressured to cope alone 
• Carers also need time to rest and look after their own wellbeing without feeling guilty 
• Support networks work best when everyone’s emotional needs are acknowledged 

While every disability and caring relationship is different, the emotional challenges are often shared. By bringing these conversations into the open, Complete Care Shop hopes more disabled people and carers will feel comfortable asking for support, setting healthy boundaries, and recognising that needing help is part of being human, not something to apologise for. 

About Complete Care Shop   

Complete Care Shop is one of the UK’s most trusted ecommerce retailers of independent living aids, solving everyday needs online both dependably and fast. Supplying a wide range of products, including daily living equipment, mobility aids and independent living solutions, Complete Care Shop offers a comprehensive range of products designed to help those who need them.   

Their mission is to provide the UK with high-quality products and provide exceptional customer service to help people live independently and well.   

 You can find out more about Complete Care Shop here: https://completecareshop.co.uk/    

Complete Care Shop is part of the Mobilitas Group: https://mobilitas.group/